M-Audio Studiophile BX5a Deluxe Active Monitors for $150 (pair)

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[H]ard|Gawd
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How do these compare to the newer D2 models? The BX8 models are on sale as well.
 
How much better are these than say some ~$100 logitechs? And is controlling the volume from the PC sufficient or will you get weird static from the speakers at soft volumes?
 
I bought these from the last sale they had.

Great speakers, definitely better than any other PC speaker setup I've owned.
 
These speakers are amazing. Got myself a pair for $75 off craigslist. These with my titanium HD x-fi sound great. Nice mids, highs and lows. If you want lots of subwoofer bass, these arent the speakers for you, but if you like nice clean sound, these are great.
 
The bx8a's are on sale at the same site, and the 15% off 199.99 and up purchases would work on those, making them about 215.00. Would stepping up to the BX8a be worth it?
 
If I was in the market right now and had the desk space, I'd probably get the BX8a. Good deals on both models, though.
 
halcyon said:
How much better are these than say some ~$100 logitechs? And is controlling the volume from the PC sufficient or will you get weird static from the speakers at soft volumes?
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No static noise at any volume. They produce really clear sound, but it's fairly directional. These are more speaker than I needed. I bought a cheap sound card (Asus Xonar DG) for an equalizer, so I can lower the base to watch TV/Movies in bed when I'm tired.

The only downside to these is each speaker has it's own volume knob on the back, so you'll want to use system volume (or a receiver) for volume control. Each speaker has it's own power cord, but with the independent power amps you get better clarity.
 
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I have a these. Speakers and they awesome pc speakers. I have them set to half way on the volume and they are very loud. The bass is really. Good if you want 50 hz bass get a sub

You get alot of speaker for the money
 
Read some longer term reviews. There have been cap issues with these speakers dating as far back as 2010 and as recently as October '11. When it does happen, it seems to hit reliably right around 9-12 months of ownership.

While maybe only 1-5% may ever see this issue, its something to consider when there are more reliable options out there for a little more dough. I would consider these for people interested in flat sound and appreciate a monitor type speaker, but I would pass if I were starting a small home studio.
 
Crazy.. I havent read much about the failures.. I know my AV40s are pretty old now and stil sound damn good. These should sound even better. Pair this up wtih a good 10" sub and you got a banging setup. I wonder if the 2.0 version fixed the Cap issue mentioned above?
 
I think the newer model BX5 D2 models are around $60 more. Are the new D2s that much better?
 
I have these for over a year now and love them. Got them for $150 as well and they're hard to beat for the price. They're bright and bass falls off after around 80hz so most people don't like them since they're accustomed to systems with overpowered bass. They have great highs, good mids, and average bass that craps out after 60hz. They project a lot better than typical PC speakers with 2-3in drivers so you feel like the sound surrounds you rather than coming out of speakers on each side. It has a wide soundstage but lacks depth. The sweet spot is extremely small, I'm talking about noticeable difference between inches. The D2 should be the same with cosmetic changes. They should sound the same since the Deluxe version sounds the same as the older BX5a.
 
This is an amazing deal; I can't believe they're so cheap!

If anybody out there is considering ditching their crappy Logitech speakers, this is a good pair to start with!
 
Copyright said:
The AV40s are good but these are awesome. I am a little concerned about the failures mentioned by the other poster but I have yet to find much about it.
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A couple reviews say the capacitors can hiss or leak between 6 months to 2 years. It seems to happen sooner if you turn them up really, really loud. However, I believe these faulty capacitors can usually be repaired without additional damage, since it's just the capacitor and not a faulty power issue. I've actually seen more posts from people saying that they've replaced their bulging capacitors than people complaining about the issue.
 
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You also have to keep in mind that the amp is inside an insulated wooden box. That's a major design flaw with active monitors in my opinion. Some do employ heatsinkers. The bottom line is you can't leave them on all day and expect them to last years of trouble-free. I recall a post on a different site where their speakers were on 24-7 and a cap blew within a year. Fortunately, the repairs are simple to do. The best practice is to turn them off to cool down after a couple of hours.
 
pinoy said:
You also have to keep in mind that the amp is inside an insulated wooden box. That's a major design flaw with active monitors in my opinion. Some do employ heatsinkers. The bottom line is you can't leave them on all day and expect them to last years of trouble-free. I recall a post on a different site where their speakers were on 24-7 and a cap blew within a year. Fortunately, the repairs are simple to do. The best practice is to turn them off to cool down after a couple of hours.
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the trick is to only set the volume on the back of the speakers halfway do not crank them to 100-90% volume this will make them run hot of course and it is really really loud anyways.
mine do not even get warm and i have them set at 50% volume and i control my sound card volume with my keyboard. the volume is very loud and i cannot even turn it up half way on my sound card before it gets blarring loud.
 
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